The Session
by PoodlesKitten
Summary: Jack seeks Dr. Barnette's help regarding Vaughn and instead gets his own trip to the couch.


I do not own Alias, or any of its characters.... (though I'd like to borrow Agent Vaughn on occassion). Please don't sue me for anything... not even bad writing.   
  
SPOILER WARNING: This fic takes place the day after the events in The Box 1 & 2.   
  
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THE SESSION  
  
CIA HEADQUARTERS, LOS ANGELOS BRANCH, OFFICE OF DR. BARNETTE  
  
"Dr. Barnette," Jack called as he rapped on the partially opened door.  
  
Jack could hear the rusty screech of a metal file drawer and the slam of it closing. He repeated his greeting.  
  
Dr. Barnette turned around and saw that the man at her door made no gesture to step inside. "It's okay, Mr. Bristow, I don't bite. You can come in," She smirked.  
  
Jack cautiously stepped into the office. "I'd like to have a word with you, if you have a moment."  
  
"Certainly, Mr. Bristow. Have a seat," she motioned toward the small ocre couch on the opposite side of the room.  
  
Jack glanced at the couch, hesitated, and then gently closed the office door. "It's about Agent Vaughn--"  
  
"Yes," Dr. Barnette nodded with a cheshire grin. She stood, resting herself against her desk, with arms folded against her chest. "Bright young man," she offered.  
  
A scowl slowly crept across Jack's face. "That 'bright young man' is out of control, Dr. Barnette."  
  
"I've heard about his recent... incident," Dr. Barnette turned the nearby task chair to face Jack. She nonchallantly seated herself and continued, crossing her legs. "I'm glad it worked out well for everyone."  
  
Jack raised an eyebrow. " 'Worked out well,' Dr. Barnette, would hardly be my first choice of words."  
  
"He saved your daughter's life."  
  
"She saved her own." Jack stared coldly at the graciously aging woman. There was something familiar about her. Her face wore lines of worry and stress, but Jack could not match it to a name. The midday sun shining in from the window, Jack decided, highlighted her age in a most unflattering way. "Dr. Barnette, I'm concerned about Agent Vaughn's past."  
  
Dr. Barnette raised her eyebrow. "How did you--"  
  
"Mr. Vaughn is not the only one with friends in the Agency, Dr. Barnette."  
  
Jack watched as Dr. Barnette reached behind her and grabbed a yellow notepad from her desk. "Let's get started then," she began. "Mr. Devlin wanted the two of us to talk anway, so please, continue."  
  
Jack was momentarily taken aback. "Devlin? Wants us to talk?" Jack repeated with distain. "I really don't see this as necessary, Dr. Barnette."  
  
"Well Mr. Devlin does. Would you like me to call him in to explain CIA protocol to you, Mr. Bristow?" A cool smile streched across the doctor's face.  
  
No, she is certainly not flattering in the sunlight, Jack noted. "I really only have time to discuss my concerns with Mr. Vaughn. I'm afraid my own analysis will have to wait until--"  
  
"You'll make the time now, Mr. Bristow."  
  
Jack's dark eyes flared. There was something in the woman's voice. A catch. An inflection. He'd heard it before. "Exactly what has Mr. Vaughn told you about me? I imagine you've heard about my daughter's allega--"  
  
"Why do you assume Agent Vaughn said anything about you?" The doctor grinned as she spotted an almost inperceptable shift in Jack's position. "After all, I just told you that it was Mr. Devlin who requested we talk."  
  
Jack's jaw clenched and his lips pursed. Dr. Barnette scribbled in her tablet.  
  
"Don't think I don't know your tactics, Dr. Barnette. You're trained to say as little as possible so as to encourage your subjects to say more than they should. Highly successful with junior officers, Doctor. But not with me." More scribbling. "Let me rephrase that, Doctor."  
  
"No need. Please, continue with your concerns."  
  
She hasn't taken her eyes off her tablet yet. "I'd like to know Mr. Devlin's reasons for requesting that we talk."   
  
The doctor momentarily looked up from her pad of paper. "Mr. Devlin is concerned about the tension between you and Agent Vaughn. And it was to be presented to you as less of a request than an order."  
  
Jack's eyes opened in shock, and then resumed their cold stare. "Why would the tension between Mr. Vaughn and I be of any concern? We won't be working together."  
  
"So you admit there's tension," Dr. Barnette raised an eyebrow.  
  
Jack's mouth opened slightly, and then clenched closed.  
  
Dr. Barnette continued to scribble her notes.  
  
Damnit, Jack, get control of yourself. "As I said, I'm concerned about his past. I don't want a repeat with my daughter."  
  
Dr. Barnette relaxed her pen and looked up at Jack. "What makes you think there will be a repeat?"  
  
"He's already showing signs of losing control."  
  
"How so?"  
  
"He put us all at risk, Dr. Barnette, by disobeying Devlin's orders and storming into SD-6 as if he were a one-man rescue team. Sloane's not a novice. Eventually he will figure out that someone--someone outside SD-6 and its control--helped save his agency. He will find Dixon's transmission to Langley, and when he does, he will find where and to whom it was routed."  
  
"So you're worried about Mr. Vaughn's safety?"  
  
"I'm worried about my daughter's safety in that kid's hands!" Jack inhaled deeply as he realized he was no longer answering calmly. He settled. "He's formed an attachment to my daughter, and that's getting in the way of his judgment."  
  
"I assume you are aware that had he not listened to his judgment, things could have ended very poorly for you and your daughter?" Dr. Barnette probed.  
  
"Yes," Jack seethed. "However, he put the entire operation at risk. I haven't fought this hard for this long to have some junior agent throw it all away trying to impress a girl he can never have."  
  
Dr. Barnette scribbled in her notepad. She again raised an eyebrow. "He's been promoted recently, Jack."  
  
Jack ground his teeth. "Dr. Barnette, he lacks both the intelligence and experience for his current position. He was promoted only at the request of my daughter."  
  
"Because she refuses to work with anyone else?"  
  
"That's correct."  
  
"So perhaps she has the inappropriate attachment?" Dr. Barnette noted the increase in both the frequency and depth of Jack's breathing. She also noted an increase in the clenching of his jaw.  
  
Jack's eyes darted around the room. "Are we finished, then?"  
  
"Actually, Mr. Bristow, I wanted to talk to you about your daughter and how you feel her mother's past will affect her work."  
  
Jack took a deep breath. This is getting tiresome. "Please, continue." He managed his most charming phoney smile.  
  
"How did you meet Laura?"  
  
Jack's eyes flared. "What kind of---that's none of your business and it's classified."  
  
"I'm afraid it is my business, Jack. Its all part of your file, which I have been given leave to review. She was a teacher, wasn't she? Or posing as one--"  
  
"How dare you!"  
  
"You were on an assignment, were you not?"  
  
Jack's heartbeat raced. "What happened over 20 years ago is not at issue right now!"  
  
"She told you she had been working for the KGB and she wanted to leave them. So you helped her go into hiding as a teacher--what she did before she was recruited in Russia--in exchange for her giving you just enough KGB intel to keep you and the CIA busy for years. You were her handler, and--"  
  
"I have had enough of this!" Jack flew to his feet. "Yes, Dr. Barnette. I was her handler. She posed as a double and yes, I fell in love with her." Jack spun on his heel and stormed to the door. He placed a hand on the chrome handle and froze in place.  
  
"Sydney isn't Laura, is she Jack?" Dr. Barnette calmly reminded. "And Agent Vaughn isn't you."  
  
Jack released his grip. He finally matched the good doctor's face to a memory. This was Dr. Kohl, now married and now Dr. Barnette. She was the analyst assigned to Jack when he and Laura supposedly fell in love. And just like Sydney and Agent Vaughn, they, too, were forced to hide their attraction. Which did little more than make it more fervent. When will Langley ever learn that lesson?  
  
"Nonetheless," Jack said over his shoulder. "I want an eye kept on Vaughn. When he was a field agent, he fell in love with his partner. And he nearly got her killed."  
  
"I understand," Dr. Barnette cooly responded.  
  
Jack spun to face the doctor. "No, you don't really. He blew her cover on a mission. He thought she was exposed and in the end he was the one to expose her. She's now in a wheelchair, Dr. Barnette. In the protection program. And he was supposed to be relegated to a desk job. Better pay, better hours, fewer judgment calls. He's a loose cannon, Dr. Barnette. And he's going to get my daughter killed."  
  
Dr. Barnette said nothing. Her face softened as she silently nodded. "We really do need to talk about this, Jack."  
  
"And I 'really do need' to get to a meeting," Jack huffed and stormed out of the office.  
  
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Okay all, tell me what you think. This is still a work in progress so any constructive reviews are welcome. Thanks! 


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